Girls under 12 admit having sex

In a survey out today 6% of teenage girls admit to having sex before the age of 12.

Two-thirds of sexually active under 18-year-olds lost their virginity before the age of 16.

And 40% of the young respondents said they were less than 12 years old when they first kissed a boy.

Teen magazine Sugar surveyed 1,770 girls between the ages of 12 and 18 and found that 15% admitted to having sex.

Seven per cent admitted to having had sex with “10 or more” boys and 18% said they first had sex with a boy who was not a boyfriend.

Last week it was revealed that 13-year-old Alfie Patten had fathered a baby girl. He was just 12 when he and 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman conceived baby Maisie.

Despite the risks it seems some parents adopt a relaxed attitude to their daughters’ relationships.

The survey found that 11% of girls were allowed to have boys stay the night in their bedroom. Another 34% could take boys into the bedroom and close the door and 27% had boys to stay overnight in a separate room.

Only 16% are banned from having boys in their bedroom at all.

Parents might struggle to get to know their daughters’ boyfriends as 54% of teenage girls said they would never let them meet a boyfriend and 21% would not admit to having one.

Only 11% of parents insist on meeting the boys their children date.

One teenage respondent said: “Cause my parents are so horrifically embarrassing, I would never live it down, I mention a boy’s name and all I hear is ‘Lauren’s got a boyfriend’ it’s so stupid.”

Girls admitted to feeling under pressure to have sex and 47% said that the pressure comes from their peers.

Those who do have sex found that it did not make them happy. Twenty two per cent said they felt “ashamed”, 21% felt “used” and 26% admitted to feeling “worried”.

One respondent said: “I was pressured into it by other people at school, lots of people at my school have done it before, and it wasn’t a very good time. We have been on/off for a year and we weren’t together when we did it and I thought it would make him like me more and stop messing me around, but afterward he stopped talking to me and now we hardly talk anymore.

“I was also worried that my parents would find out, because I was stupid to do it so young and I know if they find out they will be really disappointed in me, and they would go mad. I wish I had waited.”

Editor Annabel Brog, said: “Schools, the Government, media and parents all need to take responsibility for ensuring teenagers get clear mental, emotional and physical boundaries about what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to dating and sex.

“Sugar is constantly endeavouring to raise levels of self respect among teenage girls so that they have the confidence and courage to say ‘no’.

Sugar says Always be S.A.F.E before sex – Sure of the facts, Age 16 or over, Free from pressure, Emotionally sorted.”